Cleanse
by SquirrelLuvsPnut
Summary: Rook toys with the notion of his own mortality.


The bath water was set to a decent warmth, not too hot and not too cool. It  
>was just the way he liked it. Rook settled his pale body into the tub, letting out a<br>deep sigh. He enjoyed baths a great deal. The warm water enveloped him like a  
>gentle embrace. It was also the only time he felt he could allow his mind to drift.<br>Nothing was expected of him here. He closed his ice blue eyes and tried to dispel  
>his growing sense of apprehension. He had been feeling rather unwell lately.<p>

Opening his eyes, Rook glanced down at the tiled bathroom floor. Just within  
>an arms stretch sat a basket filled with bath items. Reaching a dripping wet hand<br>into the basket, he rummaged around until he pulled out an item of interest. A  
>razor blade. Settling back into the tub, Rook allowed the back of his head to get<br>wet, wilting the pale tufts of hair.

He held the blade between his fingertips and pressed down at the edges,  
>causing tiny streams of blood to stain his hands. Rook found himself grinning at an<br>incredibly absurd idea. What if flesh was nothing more than a biological puzzle?  
>Threads of skin knotted together made to hold blood and organs. Did that mean<br>slicing into it solved the puzzle? How stupid, he thought. No puzzle should ever be  
>so easy to solve. Puzzles made by people who didn't even care about them. Those<br>kinds of puzzles shouldn't exist. They weren't even fit to be solved. They weren't  
>fit to be solved by the person who mattered most.<p>

Rook's hands sank into the water. He laid his head upon the back rim of the  
>tub. He stared blankly into the water as red clouds billowed to the surface. He<br>lifted up his arms and noted a deep cut running down his left wrist. When had he  
>done that? There was no pain, nor was there any panic. He just felt tired. Rook<br>rested the back of his neck against the back of the tub and closed his eyes.

Loud sounds penetrated his dark world of oblivion. At first it sounded like  
>nonsensical noise, but then he realized they were words. Someone was yelling.<br>Rook's eyes winced open. He was in a hospital room. He tried to sit up, but found  
>that both his arms were bound to the bed. A heavy white gauze was wrapped<br>around his left wrist. The all too familiar clinical atmosphere made him feel sick  
>and the noise wasn't helping.<p>

The voice was adamant in its outrage. "Can you even fathom the amount of  
>money and time we've invested in this kid? If we lose him, the POG will find you<br>personally responsible! I suggest you come to terms with what is at stake here!  
>Do I make myself clear?" A gentle voice responded. "Yes sir, absolutely clear."<br>The voices in the distance grew silent. Rook attempted to pull his right arm out  
>from under the straps when the door opened.<p>

A man clad in dark purple entered the room. It was the submissive speaker,  
>Bishop. Bishop's placid expression suddenly registered surprise. "Rook-sama,<br>you're awake." Without waiting for acknowledgment, Bishop raced over to Rook's  
>side. Rook's throat felt dry and it cracked as he spoke. "What… happened? I can't<br>remember." Bishop averted his gaze. "I found you unconscious in the bath. Your  
>wrist was cut very badly."<p>

Rook struggled to remember the moment, but all he could remember was the  
>warm water suddenly turning red. He wanted to distance himself from that<br>memory now. He just wanted to get back to work and forget. "Untie me. I would  
>like to leave here as soon as possible." Bishop appeared even sadder still. "I am<br>sorry Rook-sama, but I have been given strict orders to not let you out of this  
>room until you are deemed healthy again."<p>

Rook's hidden eye twitched in agitation. It never mattered how old he got or  
>how high he ranked in the POG. He was first and foremost, a prisoner. Bishop<br>continued. "Once you are well enough to leave, I am afraid that I must be present  
>for your bathes from now on." This invasion of privacy hardly phased Rook. When<br>he used to live at the research lab, people watched him bathe, undress, and use  
>the bathroom all the time.<p>

Bishop interrupted his thoughts. "If I may Rook-sama, what happened?" Rook  
>stared blankly at him before looking down at his bandaged wrist. "I do not know."<br>The other man took a deep breath before continuing. "It looked as though you  
>tried to end your life." Rook glanced up at him. "Do you really think I am that<br>weak?" Bishop responded. "Of course not, I am only pointing out an obvious  
>inference."<p>

Rook sighed heavily. What a pathetic notion." Bishop said nothing. After a long  
>heavy silence, Rook settled back into his bed. "I am tired…" Bishop offered a quick<br>bow before striding out of the room. Rook took a deep breath before closing his  
>eyes. He did not want to die, he just wanted to live.<p> 


End file.
